1 Thaler - Frederick William I

Frederick William I ascended the Prussian throne in 1713 and immediately dismantled the extravagant court his father Frederick I had built — slashing expenditure, dismissing hundreds of courtiers, and redirecting state funds into the military. The 1717 thaler was struck during this aggressive fiscal reorientation, the same period in which Frederick William was assembling the Prussian army into the most professionally drilled force in Europe.

The Berlin mint operated under tight royal supervision throughout his reign. Dav GT II#2569 distinguishes this issue within a series that saw frequent die changes across a relatively short production window.